US December Jobs Report Expected to Showcase Healthy Labor Market

  • Forecasters see employers adding 165,000 jobs in December
  • Unemployment rate projected to remain unchanged at 4.2%
US Jobs Preview: What to Watch for in December Report
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US employers likely added a healthy number of jobs in December and the unemployment rate was unchanged, showcasing a labor market that for another year defied expectations for a sharper slowdown.

Nonfarm payrolls probably rose by 165,000 last month, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists. That reading, which would mark a step down from November’s 227,000 advance, would add fuel to the narrative that the labor market continues to moderate only gradually.